Better Choices
by Fahiru
Summary: A melodrama depicting a how-it-should-have-ended for Avalon High. Or close enough.


**Better Choices**

**By Fahiru**

Haha...King Arthur...

Yeah, this was getting pretty weird.

I stood in the football stands, halfheartedly applauding as Will and his team heroically _carpe_d the _diem_ with the final count going to them. I really don't understand football, I'm more of a track kinda gal. However, even I could tell that Will's scholarship was now safe, he'd honored the school and won the game. Like a real King Arthur. So why did it turn out that _I_ was King Arthur instead of Will? I'm not even a guy!

I placed my hands on my aching temples. This prophesy really wasn't doing a good job at making sense. And the fanatical screams of the surrounding occupants of the stands really didn't help the pounding headache that had started to develop as soon as all had been revealed. I mean, having super powers for turning anything I touch that resembles a sword into the legendary Excalibur is a pretty sweet deal. It almost makes up for the pain my head is experiencing.

"Allie, are you feeling okay?"

I looked over at Miles, who was looking a lot more confused about the sport than I was. If anyone had felt excruciating pain in the head and not bothered to complain much about it, Miles takes the cake. Being Merlin the Wizard isn't all wands and epic beards, he also gets to feel the fun affliction brought on by his revelations. I didn't have the right to tell him how much my head aches when he feels twenty times worse all the time. I try to smile, he probably knows that it's fake.

"I'm okay. We should go congratulate him."

As we file down the steps into the field I can see that Miles's attention has turned from worrying over me to observing a pretty blonde a few steps ahead of us. Come to think of it, she was at Will's party. I feel a twinge inside my chest. That's just me feeling happy for him, right?

Will jogs up to us as we walk out onto the grass and sweeps me into a hug. I should be happy, but instead of marveling over being embraced by the boy I've had my eye on since I came to Avalon, I feel like I shouldn't be there. I anxiously glance to my right and spy Gen and Lance.

Gen.

Will just found out that she was cheating on him today. Their break-up seemed pretty clean, but did he get over her that quickly?

I realize that me and Will are still hugging. This is weird. I mean, he still liked Gen earlier today, didn't he? They were still together this morning. What was he doing hugging me now? I was starting to get really uncomfortable. We'd only been hugging for a few seconds, but it felt ages too long. I should know, I'm King Arthur aren't I?

I start to pull away and look to my left. There's Miles, he's with that girl from Will's party. They look kind of awkward. I feel that twinge surge up again, but it hurts this time. Miles hasn't ever talked to this girl before, how does he know that he likes her? I look over at Will, he looks really confused and a little hurt. Will's a nice guy, but seriously, how well do we know each other? He would stand up for Miles, but he never bothered to try to be his friend. Not to mention Will had turned to me as soon as he and Gen broke up. He had been seeking me out quite a bit even before they broke up.

I start to back away from Will. He could have ended up doing the same thing that Gen had done to him, so why had he acted so hurt for the first half hour after he'd found out? Sure it sucked, but didn't he have any guilt of his own? Not to mention his self esteem, he needed for me to comfort him every time something happened, and put him back on his feet.

I need to stop criticizing him. He looks so confused and sad, but I can already tell, this wouldn't end well. He...hasn't grown enough.

I sympathetically furrow my eyebrows, looking hard at his sad face. "I'm really sorry Will...I just...we were really meant to be very good friends." The poor guy probably feels terrible. But he got over Gen so quickly...how long would he think about me? He's only known me a few weeks, he's known Gen for years! He'll be okay.

I smile at him and turn to make my way through the crowd. I had always been saving Will, but who had been there for me?

I make my way to Miles and the blonde girl, who are starting to look like they wish they had never bothered to seek out each other's company. They aren't talking. I talk with Miles a lot more. Somehow we always have something to talk about.

I feel like a jerk, interrupting his probably long anticipated time with his crush, but the twinge has grown to a suffocating jealousy. I'd never felt this strongly when Will was with Gen.

Miles looks relieved when I take my place next to the him. The poor girl looks relieved too. I beg their pardon for barging in, even though they weren't talking or anything, and I promptly take Miles by the arm and drag him off to the now deserted stands.

"Allie? Is this important or something?"

"You didn't look like you were that busy."

"I was _very_ busy."

"Doing what?"

"...Well...that..."

"I thought so."

Here I turn him towards me and we make eye contact. Look at that! He'll look me in the eye right away. That's...well, quality. What a good wizard he is.

"Remember when we very first met?"

"If you say I told you so about us becoming friends, I will turn you into Saint George's Dragon."

"First of all, I'm afraid that would be treason against your King..Queen...man, what _is _ my title? Second, actually, still kind of first, Merlin and Arthur were, like best friends anyways."

"Actually, I thought Merlin just taught Arthur everything he knows...more of a teacher thing..."

Darn smart kid, ruining my cheesey-half-thought-out-pick-up-line!

"Are you saying that you're still sad and friendless? I think you just don't want to give up the right to mope."

"Oh, we're sure best friends now! Just look at you being so encouraging and all, thanks Allie!"

I really liked this kid. We're both poor conversationalists, it's just too perfect.

"I forgot what I was going to say...I had something pretty good too..."

"You plan out your conversations? I'd like to see just how many people stuck to the script."

"You're definitely not on the list."

"I like to think that I'm something of a rebel."

"In your prophesizing dreams."

He winced. Ouch, I really was hurting my chances here, better get to the point soon.

"Miles...I didn't mean to...um, anyways, as I was trying to say..."

He looks at me expectantly. He...really looks a lot nicer than he is when he wears that expression...

"Um, a-as I was saying," I stammer on, "uh, Merlin and Arthur were pretty tight. I guess it sort of carried across generations. E-even after all the people I met and became close with..."

I look him in the eye and try to say this next part audibly.

"Miles...you're my best friend out of all of them, and, well...best friends really get along well...that's important in _every_ kind of relationship. I can talk to you about everything-"

"Except this, apparently."

I nearly stomp my foot like an overwhelmingly spoiled child.

" My parents are best friends too! They, um, they really get along and also talk about everything, and-"

"And tease each other a lot."

"But that's just like us! Right?"

I cover my mouth. This isn't how I wanted to say it. I kind of just blurted it out. Miles is looking at me strangely. Like I'm a cat that just started talking and told him that mangoes are blue. He's about to respond, I can tell. I close my eyes because I _don't want to hear it_. Ha. Closing my eyes instead of covering my ears. I'm not as smart as Miles doesn't tell me I am.

"Allie..."

"Don't say it!"

"Your name?"

I start to laugh a little, but I choke. I'm so scared that I've started to cry.

"...Why didn't you just tell me?"

I look up at him, astonished.

"Up until when we found out about the prophesy, I'd thought you were still hanging out with me just to spite me. You know, because I said we couldn't be friends. I thought you were just being stubborn."

I can't really take it, but I can't run away. This is the most important thing right now, I need to see it through.

"I...Miles..."

"And what about Will? Wasn't he your Knight in Shining Armor?"

"It was more like the other way around!" I burst out," I always came to help Will, but...but the one who was there when _I_ needed some one, that was _you_!"

"What did _I_ ever do for you?"

"You were _there!_" I'm not just crying now. My voice is catching and I probably look totally disgusting. I have to say it right though, I can't leave this hanging in the air. "You were just _there_. Remember when I got pushed down that hill? Will had time to take me back in his car, but he told you to take me instead. I know that the game was the most important thing then but-"

"Allie, that's just a little detail!"

"But it's the small things that count!" I grip his arms. He looks kind of scared. I don't blame him, I'm being pretty straight forward.

"You must be really tired, I should find your parents..."

"No." I tighten my grip on his sleeves. "You're confused, right? If we don't get things straight now, things will be pretty awkward, right?"

"They're a little awkward now..."

"I'm trying to ignore that fact, it will be worse if we wait. I want you to think about it without any excuses. What..." I nervously take a deep breath, "What do you feel for me?"

Miles looks really shocked. Not like he's surprised that such a question would arise, but like he never thought of it before. He seriously thought I was delirious till now, didn't he?

"If I was with Will all the time, and we were in a romantic relationship, how would it make you feel?"

I was afraid of the answer. I was afraid, but...I needed to hear this.

"If you were with Will...we probably wouldn't hang out that much..."

He squinches his brow, he doesn't seem to like this idea. Well, that's the best thing that's happened all day.

"It might be a little more awkward between us if you were with Will...he might get suspicious of our friendship because of what happened with Gen. And I..."

He's looking me in the eye, like he always does, concentrating hard. He's really taking this seriously. He takes me seriously.

"Allie...if you were always with Will...to tell the truth, I had kind of accepted it by now. He's the popular jock after all."

"Miles, I don't have a clue about how football works. What would we talk about? All that would happen is I would boost his self esteem for him every time something bad happened. I already do that anyways. But you and me...we talk about everything. We really connect, don't we?"

He looks at me. His gaze is intense. Miles is really serious, but he can be really funny too. He's made me laugh a lot more than Will has.

Without shifting his eyes from mine, he slowly reaches up and brushes the hair back from my tear stained face. His hand tucks the loose locks behind my ear as his face draws closer to mine. I close my eyes, and as I wait for the kiss I wonder if he's still looking at me, or if his eyes are closed too. Closer-

"Allie! Where are you, kiddo?"

We quickly jump back from each other and both of us stumble over the bleachers behind us. I hit my head on the seat and sit up moaning and rubbing the back of my skull. The cranial pain has increased, like, tenfold. Miles is probably feeling worse.

My thoughtful parents wander over to us. They might have noticed that we're both minorly injured, but they're distractedly searching the field.

"Did it turn out right with Will? I didn't see anything resembling the fulfillment of a prophesy. What happened?"

My poor, poor fanatical mother. I open my mouth to clear up the misunderstanding, but I lock eyes with Miles first. He is giving me an urgent "you are about to stupidly ruin your whole life if you do this" look. He's right. If my parents knew, then there'd be nothing keeping me here. They'd have Arthur and wouldn't need to stick around. I wouldn't finish the school year, I'd lose track club, I'd lose Miles... They would probably never treat me the same way again either. Miles and I share a nod of understanding. For now, it will just be our little secret.

* * *

(A/N: So I was babysitting when I saw this movie. It was pretty okay and even sort of imaginative up until the end. Man, that ending sucked more than...a lot of sucky stuff. This is how it should have gone, or close to it anyway. I liked Miles WAY more than Will, who was a nice guy but there wasn't much to him. Allie was actually fairly likeable for a heroine. Keep in mind that I've only seen the movie once, so I may have gotten some of the characters/elements/plot wrong, but hopefully they kind of had the same feel. Seriously though, what was up with Will's melancholy personality, and his getting over Gen so fast? That guy is suspicious. And frankly, he wasn't very pretty, er...however you would describe him. Miles somehow seemed manlier. Thank you **FatesMistake** for pointing out MY mistake. I have fixed it and now everything should be pretty accurate. I know this is fan fiction, but I don't like to bend the original work more than I need to.)


End file.
